Sociology Exam 3 Bocab - Social

Social Stratification

ranking of people into social classes

Open System

people can move between social classes

Closed System

little or no movement between classes

Estate System

class based on land ownership and birth

Ascribed Status

status given at birth

Achieved Status

status earned through effort

Social Mobility

movement between social classes

InTRAgenerational Mobility

class change during a person’s lifetime

InTERgenerational Mobility

class change between parents and children

Functionalist View of Stratification

inequality motivates people to fill important jobs

Conflict View of Stratification

inequality benefits the powerful

Symbolic Interactionist View

class affects daily interactions and identity

Upper Class

wealthiest and most powerful

Middle Class

moderate income and education

Working Class

employed in manual/lower-paying jobs

Lower Class

least wealth and resources

Karl Marx

believed class conflict drives society

Max Weber

class based on wealth, power, prestige

Davis-Moore Thesis

important jobs get greater rewards

Critique of Davis-Moore

inequality is not always fair or necessary

Income

money earned from work and investments

Wealth

total value of assets owned

Poverty Line

government’s minimum income level for survival

Critique of Poverty Line

does not fully measure real living costs

Functions of Poverty

poverty benefits some parts of society; poor do jobs that no one else wants

Culture of Poverty

poverty can create behaviors that make escaping poverty difficult

Political Economy Theory

poverty results from social and economic systems